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There is something wonderfully indescribable about quenching your thirst with a mug of chilled beer. And what better way to cool down on a hot summer day than with a smooth and foamy one in an authentic Igamono beer mug.

Enjoying your favourite brand of full-bodied beer in a mug that enhances the taste and heightens the experience is refreshing in more ways than one. Here’s why:

Keeps the beer cool — it’s recommended to leave the mug in the fridge for about half an hour before pouring the beer. The material composition acts like an insulator, retaining the cold longer than a regular glass does.

Comfortable to hold and looks great — fits perfectly in the hand; it’s essentially a self-contained non-slip surface that looks superb.

The Igamono Warrior sake set is made for those who wish to truly appreciate the traditional rice wine of Japan. Handmade and heated in kilns dug into the ground, the glazed look is emblematic of the distinctive process that makes Iga pottery so unique.

Counted as one of the Six Old Kilns of Japanese pottery, Iga’s pottery tradition began more than 1,000 years ago. Located in Mie Prefecture, southeast of Japan’s former capital city of Kyoto, Iga was known as the source of some of the most revered tea ceremony utensils in Japan during the Momoyama Period (1573–1600). Today, pottery produced in this region (called Igamono pottery) by the select number of active potters is highly valued for its traditional firing techniques.

The secret beauty that lies in the simplicity of Igamono pottery is found in the clay that is harvested from the bottom of Japan’s largest freshwater lake, Biwa. To produce the celebrated Iga pottery, the clay must be highly resistant to heat, should interact beautifully with ash glaze, and have the appropriate malleability and iron contents.

The Iga region is also considered by many to be the birthplace of the ninja, masked experts of stealth warfare. Trained in a variety of other unconventional arts of war, the Iga ninja were adept castle infiltrators who could obtain secret information and sabotage enemy supplies. These talents were passed on from father to son and, for generations warring feudal lords knew that the best ninja could be hired in Iga.

Unique Japan’s fundamental purpose is to be the world’s most trusted brand for unique Japanese handcrafted merchandise. These examples of traditional Iga pottery are just some of the many exclusive and inspiring artistic pieces found on our website, preserving the local crafts industry for both your enjoyment and that of generations to come.